Tagged: Daily Reflections

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation.” —Mark 16:15 Jesus’ physical body has been raised from the dead. How many parts of Christ’s body are functioning to the degree to which God has called them? We need a resurrection, animation, and activation of many parts of Christ’s body. After Pentecost, however, the power and “self-assurance of Peter and John” was amazing (Acts 4:13ff). Even when the religious leaders threatened Peter and John in order to paralyze them, “Peter and John answered, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight for us to...

“It is really I. Touch Me, and see that a ghost does not have flesh and bones as I do.” —Luke 24:39 Unlike all other religions, Christianity believes that God became man. We believe that God was actually a baby, physically died on a cross, and was buried in a tomb. We also believe that Jesus rose from the dead — not just spiritually but bodily. Jesus is not a ghost (see Lk 24:37). He can be seen and touched (Lk 24:39). He ate food (Lk 24:41-43). He is fully human. Jesus even let Thomas put his hand into His...

“Were not our hearts burning inside us?” —Luke 24:32 Jesus spent the afternoon of the day of His Resurrection walking and talking with two of His disciples. “He interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to Him” (Lk 24:27). As Jesus taught His disciples the Scriptures, their hearts began to burn within them (Lk 24:32). This sensation indicated that their hearts were being purified. Thus, Jesus spent the afternoon of His resurrection day purifying hearts through teaching the Bible (see Eph 5:26). If we let Jesus purify our hearts, our words become powerful, healing, and life-changing, for we...

“It was to you and your children that the promise was made, and to all those still far off whom the Lord our God calls.” —Acts 2:39 On the third day of Easter, the Lord brings to our attention the birthday of the Church. At the first Christian Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, three thousand people were baptized, and the Church was born (see Acts 2:41). Peter mentions at the beginning of his discourse that “it is only nine in the morning.” After one-hundred and twenty people received the Holy Spirit, Peter preached the Good News of Jesus’...